Lifting arrangement for aircraft fuselages

ABSTRACT

A lifting arrangement for aircraft fuselages that consists of placing longitudinal vertical or slanted fins or plates on the lower and lateral lower part of the whole fuselage, said fins forming a channel with the underside of the fuselage, including nose, fuselage and tail, open on their lower area. Further adding longitudinal horizontal or laterally slanted fins on the lateral middle or middle-to-low area of the fuselage and with a positive slope up to the nose with said fins arranged in such a way that the upper fins are projected increasingly laterally, and because of this arrangement and their slope up to the nose, the air flow is directed downward and backward.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority dates of SpanishPatents No. P960104 filed on Sep. 6, 1996; No. P9707753 filed on Aug. 7,1997; No. P9902785 filed on Dec. 20, 1999; and No. P9902646 filed onDec. 1, 1999. The basis for priority in this case is the ParisConvention for the Protection of Industrial Property (613 O.G. 23,53Stat 1748). The Spanish patent applications were filed in The OfficialPatent and Trademarks Office of Spain.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A lifting arrangement for aircraft fuselage including placinglongitudinal vertical or slanted fins or plates on the lower and laterallower part of the whole fuselage, further including the nose and tail,thus avoiding the lateral slip of the airflow that presses on theunderside of the fuselage when it advances with a certain angle ofpositive attack, resulting in the production of strong lift. The finsform large channels with the underside of the fuselage, and are open ontheir lower area.

[0003] Also, longitudinal horizontal or laterally slanted fins can beadded on the lateral middle or middle-to-low area of the fuselage with aslight sloping up on the nose in order to increase the lift,particularly at low speeds. Upon increasing the angle of attack, thelift produced is such that, in addition to the wings, the flaps can beeliminated. The fins can be slanted or turned laterally, and arearranged in such a way that the upper fins are projected increasinglylaterally. This arrangement, and their positive slope up to the nose,direct the air flow backward and downward, thereby producingcomplementary lift.

[0004] At either cruising speed or high speed, a small angle of attackof the fuselage is sufficient in order to produce either completely orpartially the lift generated by the wings.

[0005] The fins or plates can be flat or curved around an axisapproximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, thatis, with the convexity towards the exterior. This curvature reduces theimpact of the lateral wind.

[0006] The fins, although generally fixed, are capable of rotation orretraction in order to reduce friction.

[0007] The lower surface of the fuselage can be flat or shaped in acircular or elliptical arc cross-section, with the preferable embodimenthaving a flat lower surface.

[0008] The upper surface of the fuselage can be flat, althoughpreferably it will be shaped in a circular or elliptical arccross-section.

[0009] The lateral surfaces of the fuselage can be curved or flat incross-section.

[0010] Elongated fuselages with the following shapes or constantcross-sections may be implemented: circular, semicircular with flatlateral walls, oval, circular segment, oval segment or rectangular withrounded sides, and mainly narrowed or flattened vertically.

[0011] The vertically flattened fuselages are less affected by sidewinds.

[0012] The fuselage may generally have a sloped nose and tail,illustrated in FIG. 1. The upper forward and rear areas will preferablybe aerodynamically curved, profiled or streamlined. This is the onlyaircraft where the nose, fuselage and tail produce the whole lift.

[0013] The fins can be added to current conventional fuselages in orderto obtain the benefit of added lift, without the need for making majorchanges, and their lower fins can have a positive-angled slope.

[0014] The area of the fuselage between the nose and the tail can have athickness widening from a lesser to greater degree towards the rear, insuch a way that at cruising speed, when the lower surface forms acertain positive angle with the horizontal, the upper side will becompletely horizontal, thus avoiding or delaying the separation of theboundary layer.

[0015] The fuselage may be slightly curved lengthwise with its undersideconcave.

[0016] The main landing gear may be displaced backward.

[0017] Small thin wings, stabilizing fins or a large conventionalstabilizer, which do not produce lift, are only necessary to providecomplementary lift.

[0018] The total drag to forward movement is much lower than that ofconventional aircraft with wings.

[0019] The advantages of the current invention include the generation ofstrong lift, with the possibility of eliminating the flaps and the wingscompletely. The aircraft accelerates quicker during take-off resultingfrom the elimination of flap use Further, the major lift will come aboutduring rotation, for which reason the runway length required will bemuch shorter. The current invention also would weigh less or can carry aheavier payload. The current invention is simpler, more economical, hasa lower total drag, and is useful for all fuselages as the lift isproduced by the whole underside of the aircraft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020]FIG. 1 shows a schematic lateral view of one of the fuselages inthe invention with the longitudinal fins or plates on its lateral lowerpart.

[0021]FIG. 2 shows a schematic lateral view of a current fuselage withthe longitudinal fins in the invention.

[0022]FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of afuselage and its fins.

[0023]FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of afuselage and its fins.

[0024]FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of afuselage and its fins.

[0025]FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of afuselage and its fins.

[0026]FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of afuselage and its fins.

[0027]FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of afuselage and its fins.

[0028]FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of afuselage and its fins.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029]FIG. 1 shows the upper surface of the fuselage (1), thelongitudinal fins on the lateral lower part of the nose (2), theunderside of the fuselage (3), and the longitudinal fins or plates onthe lower and lateral lower part of the fuselage (4). The streamlinesflow and arrows show the downward displacement of the airflow and as aresult the forces generated on the fuselage. The nose lift force (LN)and its drag (DN), the lift of the underside of the fuselage (LF) andits drag (DF), and the tail lift force (LT) and its drag (DT).

[0030]FIG. 2 shows the upper zone or surface of a conventional fuselage(1), the underside of the fuselage (3) and the longitudinal fins on thelateral lower part of the fuselage (4).

[0031]FIG. 3 shows the upper zone or surface of a fuselage ofsemicircular cross-section (1) using flat lateral walls, the undersideof the fuselage (3) and the longitudinal flat fins on the lower andlateral lower part of the fuselage (4), with said fins forming largechannels with the underside of the fuselage and open on their lowerarea.

[0032]FIG. 4 shows the upper zone or surface of a fuselage of circularsegment cross-section (1), the underside of the fuselage (3) and thelongitudinal curved fins on the lateral lower part of the fuselage (4),with the upper fins projected increasingly laterally.

[0033]FIG. 5 shows the upper zone or surface of a fuselage of circularcross-section (1), the underside of the fuselage (3), the longitudinalflat fins on the lateral lower part of the fuselage (4), thelongitudinal horizontal or laterally slanted fins (6 and 7) added on thelateral middle or middle-to-low area of the fuselage with a slightpositive slope up to the nose, including fins which can be slanted orturned laterally.

[0034]FIG. 6 shows the upper zone or surface of an oval segmentcross-section fuselage (1), the underside of the fuselage (3) and thelongitudinal curved fins on the lateral lower part of the fuselage (4).

[0035]FIG. 7 shows the upper zone or surface of an oval and flattenedcross-section fuselage (1), the underside of the fuselage (3) and thelongitudinal flat fins on the lateral lower part of the fuselage (4).

[0036]FIG. 8 shows the upper zone or surface of a fuselage (1) whosecross-section is rectangular with rounded sides, the underside of thefuselage (3) and the longitudinal fins on the lateral lower part of thefuselage (4).

[0037]FIG. 9 shows the upper zone or surface of a fuselage (1), thelongitudinal fins on the lateral lower part of the fuselage (4), and therams (5) that act the fins.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselagecomprising: longitudinal vertical or slanted fins positioned on a lowerlateral portion of said fuselage, said fins forming a channel with theunderside of said fuselage, including nose and tail, open on a lowerarea; and longitudinal horizontal or laterally slanted fins on a lateralmiddle or middle-to-low portion of said fuselage including a slope ontosaid nose, said laterally slanted fins directing airflow downward andbackward.
 2. The lifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselage accordingto claim 1, wherein said fins are curved around an axis approximatelyparallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuselage, with the convexitytowards the exterior.
 3. The lifting arrangement for an aircraftfuselage according to claim 1, wherein said fins are flat.
 4. Thelifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselage according to claim 1,wherein said fins are retractable.
 5. The lifting arrangement for anaircraft fuselage according to claim 1, wherein said fuselage iselongated and has a constant circular cross-section.
 6. The liftingarrangement for an aircraft fuselage according to claim 1, wherein saidfuselage is elongated and has a constant semicircular cross-section withflat lateral walls.
 7. The lifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselageaccording to claim 1, wherein said fuselage is elongated and has aconstant oval cross-section.
 8. The lifting arrangement for an aircraftfuselage according to claim 1, wherein said lower surface of saidfuselage is flat.
 9. The lifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselageaccording to claim 1, wherein said lateral fins are fixed.
 10. Thelifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselage according to claim 1,wherein said area of said fuselage between said nose and said tail has athickness widening from a lesser to greater degree towards said rear, insuch a way that at cruising speed, when the lower surface forms acertain positive angle with the horizontal, an upper side will becompletely horizontal, reducing or eliminating the separation of theboundary layer.
 11. The lifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselageaccording to claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said fuselage has anelliptical cross-section.
 12. The lifting arrangement for an aircraftfuselage according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinal lower side finsare vertical.
 13. The lifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselageaccording to claim 1, wherein said longitudinal fins on said lateralmiddle or middle-to-low area of said fuselage are positionedhorizontally and laterally.
 14. The lifting arrangement for an aircraftfuselage according to claim 1, wherein said fins are laterally slanted.15. The lifting arrangement for an aircraft fuselage according to claim1, wherein said fins are slanted laterally.
 16. The lifting arrangementfor an aircraft fuselage according to claim 1, wherein said fuselage hasa slanted nose and tail.
 17. The lifting arrangement for an aircraftfuselage according to claim 1, wherein said fuselage is curvedlengthwise with a concave underside.